EMBASSY HARARE RESPONSES TO OIG FORMAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000086 SIPDIS SIPDIS ACTION FOR OIG; AF/EX FOR S. NOLAN, B. NEULING, B. GATES E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2016 TAGS: ASIG AMGT SUBJECT: EMBASSY HARARE RESPONSES TO OIG FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS REF: A. OIG REPORTS OF INSPECTION FOR EMBASSY HARARE ¶B. ZIMBABWE NUMBER ISP-I-05-37A AND ISP-S-05-37A Classified By: Ambassador Christopher W. Dell for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Following are Embassy Harare's responses to the formal recommendations made by the OIG Report of Inspection, Embassy Harare, Zimbabwe number ISP-I-05-37A, dated September 2005. RECOMMENDATION 1: (U) Embassy Harare should establish and implement grant management procedures that include linking grants to mission performance plan priorities, requiring and monitoring the submission of reports from grantees, and assuring that grant documents are prepared in a standard fashion with all relevant information. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 1: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and has put a grant management tracking control system in place. Attached to each grant is a sheet showing the MPP goal to which the grant is dedicated, a narrative space for a timeline for completion and remarks upon completion with designated individuals from PAS to certify satisfactory completion. RECOMMENDATION 2: (U) Embassy Harare should complete the standard operating procedures required by the Consular Management Handbook's Chapter Six. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 2: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and has begun drafting the standard operating procedures required by the Consular Handbook. Two SOPs have been completed and are in practice and we expect to finish the full portfolio of SOPs by the end of FY06. RECOMMENDATION 3: (U) Embassy Harare should complete a Disposition of Remains report and transmit a copy of it to the Bureau of Consular Affairs. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 3: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and has completed the update and drafting of the Disposition of Remains report. It is currently in the clearance process and should be available to the Bureau of Consular Affairs by the end of February, 2006. RECOMMENDATION 4: (U) Embassy Harare should conduct a rightsizing review in preparation for the move to a new embassy compound to determine whether some American and locally employed staff positions could be eliminated. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 4: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and submitted a comprehensive Rightsizing Report to AF and M/R in November 2005, which reflects projected reductions of both U.S. and LES desk positions. RECOMMENDATION 5: (U) Embassy Harare should conduct a cost analysis of duplicative services provided by the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development, and if savings are identified, combine the duplicative services. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 5: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and has developed plans and staffing projections to eliminate duplicative services in conjunction with FY 2009 occupancy of consolidated NEC office space. In the interim, services will be consolidated where feasible. Full consolidation at this stage is complicated by the dispersal of mission offices across six facilities, and by agencies, maintenance of separate systems in such areas as accounting, computer systems, and communications. USAID Washington has instructed USAID Harare to implement a Reduction in Force (RIF) during 2006, and its staffing decisions will be tailored to the mission's plans to consolidate services. Following this, USAID services in such areas as financial management and cashiering will be consolidated and/or regionalized. RECOMMENDATION 6: (U) Embassy Harare should establish patching procedures to ensure that all workstations and servers meet Department patch management requirements. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 6: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and corrective action has been completed and added to the Standard Operating Procedures and implemented. Patching procedures have been added to the Information Programs Center (IPC) and Information Systems Center's (ISC) standard operating procedures. All Information Management personnel and LES systems personnel have now subscribed to the patch management distribution email list ensuring all personnel receive notification from the Department when security patches are released. The Information Programs Officer (IPO) ensures that the current security patch is applied on the classified system. The Information Systems Officer (ISO) ensures that the current security patch is applied to the OpenNet system. Once the security patches are installed the IPO and ISO cross check each system for verification that patches have been installed correctly. RECOMMENDATION 7: (U) Embassy Harare should designate the senior information management specialist in the information processing center as the information systems security officer for the unclassified network and designate the senior information systems security officer in the information systems center as the information systems security officer for the classified network. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 7: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and corrective action has been completed and implemented (reftel 2005 Harare 0856). Information Systems Officer (ISO),George Westfall has been designated as the primary Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) for Harare and Information Programs Officer (IPO),Sheena Driscoll has been designated as the alternate (A/ISSO). In addition, the ISO has been designated as the ISSO for the classified network and the IPO has been designated as the ISSO for the unclassified network. RECOMMENDATION 8: (U) Embassy Harare should establish procedures under which officers providing consular services must ask applicants whether they paid their visa fees in local or U.S. currency and compare the answers to the receipts for services provided by the consular cashier. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 8: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and has recently begun asking all NIV applicants whether they paid their visa fees in local or U.S. currency and compare their answers to the receipts. The consular section has also begun posting the daily official exchange rate in the cashier window, along with a direct phone number for the section chief so that an applicant can complain if they feel they have been charged incorrectly. The Consular Section has also begun a detailed audit of all receipts received from the offsite fee collection contractor to ensure that no irregularities take place. ¶2. (U) Following are Embassy Harare's responses to the formal recommendations made by the OIG Security Management Inspection Report of Embassy Harare, Zimbabwe number ISP-I-05-37A, dated September 2005. RECOMMENDATION 1: (U) Embassy Harare should complete the emergency action plan and submit it for approval in a timely manner. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 1: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. The revised EAP is in the clearance process and should be completed in January. Post notes, however, that State 4962 recently announced a new EAP format which could cause a delay. RECOMMENDATION 2: (U) Embassy Harare should make both of the designated alternate command centers available for immediate use at any given time by pre-positioning equipment and supplies as per 12 FAH-1 H-131 and keeping pre-positioned information current. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 2: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. The pre-positioning of equipment and supplies will be ongoing but is substantially complete. RECOMMENDATION 3: (SBU) Embassy Harare should designate as a safe haven, the small room with the vault door that is located in the general services and information management offices annex, and properly equip the room in accordance with 12 FAH-5 L.15.2 and H-462.3-1. (1997) (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 3: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and is in the process of procuring the safe haven materials. The safehaven will be operational in February, 2006. RECOMMENDATION 4: (C) Embassy Harare should replace the single wood finished door to the room housing the post communication center emergency generator in the chancery building with a door that can provide 60-minute forced-entry and ballistic resistance as required by 12 FAH-5 H-463.3-1 (1997). (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 4: (C) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. We are seeking financing from OBO/SM for procurement and installation of the door. Completion is contingent upon receipt of funds. RECOMMENDATION 5: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria, should disable the door between the consular waiting area and the management and security offices by removing the Hirsch keypad controlling the door and installing a magnetic lock controlled by the Marine security guard at Post One. This door should remain secure during business hours. (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria) RESPONSE 5: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and is coordinating with ESC Pretoria and ESO Dar es Salaam for the purchase of equipment and its installation. Completion is contingent upon availability of funds. RECOMMENDATION 6: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria, should install a closed-circuit television camera outside of the perimeter door to the management and security offices for after hours use in verifying the proper release of the magnetic lock. (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria) RESPONSE 6: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation and is coordinating with ESC Pretoria and ESO Dar es Salaam on this recommendation concurrently with recommendation 5. RECOMMENDATION 7: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria, should program the Hirsch keypad at the main entrance to the general services and information management offices annex to allow locally employed staff to have access to the building during working hours. The embassy should also keep the entrance door secure at all times. (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria) RESPONSE 7: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. The equipment is in place and this recommendation should be resolved during the next ESO visit tentatively scheduled for February, 2006. RECOMMENDATION 8: (U) Embassy Harare should establish and implement a procedure for keeping the sliding vehicle gate to the chancery compound closed, to prevent intruders from walking on to the compound unimpeded and provide an entrance for pedestrians. (Action: Embassy Harare) RESPONSE 8: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with this recommendation and has taken appropriate corrective action. The gate is presently maintained in the closed position. RECOMMENDATION 9: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should ensure that the United States Agency for International Development provides antiram planters or bollards along the perimeter walls bordering Pascoe Avenue in accordance with 12 FAH-5 H-430. (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with OBO) RESPONSE 9: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. USAID is currently seeking solicitations for the project, upon which funding will be pursued with USAID Security. Completion is contingent upon availability of funds. RECOMMENDATION 10: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should ensure that the United States Agency for International Development, using a reasonable degree of risk management as outlined in Overseas Security Policy Board security standards 12 FAH-6, H-511, install a vehicle drop bar behind the sliding gate at the Ruda annex compound to provide some antiram protection. (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of OBO) RESPONSE 10: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. USAID is currently seeking solicitations for the project, upon which funding will be pursued with USAID Security. Completion is contingent upon availability of funds. RECOMMENDATION 11: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should ensure that the United States Agency for International Development, replace the obsolete hardline door in the compound access control booth, which allows access to the Ruda annex compound, with a 15-minute forced-entry and ballistic resistant door, in accordance with 12 FAH-6 H-113.6 (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of OBO) RESPONSE 11: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. USAID is currently seeking solicitations for the project, upon which funding will be pursued with USAID Security. Completion is contingent upon availability of funds. RECOMMENDATION 12: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria, should ensure that the United States Agency for International Development installs an imminent danger notification system switch at the compound access control booths and considers providing the roving local guards conducting perimeter security with a remote wireless imminent danger notification system switch. (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with Embassy Pretoria) RESPONSE 12: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. USAID is presently seeking assistance from USAID security for the purchase and installation of this system. Completion is contingent upon availability of USAID Security resources. RECOMMENDATION 13: (SBU) Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should replace the hardline doors separating the administrative and program staff in the public affairs section from the public access area with a door providing 15-minute forced-entry and ballistic resistant protection in accordance with 12 FAH 6 H-113.8(g). (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of OBO) RESPONSE 13: (SBU) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. The Public Affairs Section is scheduled to move into new office space that will meet all 15 minute FE/BR requirements. A funding request is pending with Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) at this time. Completion of this project is contingent upon funding by OBO. RECOMMENDATION 14: (U) Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to comply with the conditions set forth in the waiver granting setback and collocation and have public access controls that provide five-minute forced-entry protection and that the individual who controls the door is behind the hardline, in accordance with 12 FAH-5 H-452.3-3 and 12 FAH-5 H-454.3-3. (Action: Embassy Harare, in coordination with the Bureau of OBO) RESPONSE 14: (U) Embassy Harare concurs with the recommendation. CDC is in the process of obtaining a scope of work and cost estimate from a local architect. Upon receipt, CDC will pursue funding for this project with CDC headquarters. Completion of this project is contingent upon receipt of funds. DELL